stoves?

[Terminal_Gravity]

I use a gigapower and a MSR international.

 

Since I have gotten used to the giga I almost never use the MSR. I have tried 3 methods for keeping the fuel liquid.

 

The copper wire trick...I don't like it because the copper degrades and embrittles and can fail.

 

The water dish trick works great but takes more screwing around and therefore you have a higher risk of a spill.

 

My typical method is to put a heat pack on the canister. I either use a rubberband to the side or just sit the canister over the pack. In extreme cold I have had to occasionally augment this with the water trick. I then use the heat pack in my boots at the end of the day to help keep them dry and ready to wear in the AM.

 

BTW I have used this method with excellent results at over 20,000 feet and below zero degrees F.

 

I did make a custom wind screen out of an old pot bottom that directs the flame along the bottom and then up the sides. I get far better melt per fuel rate than with the MSR. And if I can get it lit, it still works in 30 mph wind.

 

The partial canister issue is only relevent on short trips and then I use one of the small canisters. I use up the partials on non weight critical trips.

 

The only time that I would consider using the MSR anymore is at a base camp or when I was sure I could not find fuel.

 

my 2 cents

[jhamaker]

Now that summer has arrived, I use no stove, an alcohol stove, or a trioxene stove - as long as I don't have to melt water.

 

No one has realy discussed fuel cost. An entire winter seasons worth of white gas costs the same as one single outing of compressed gas. An XGK or Wisperlight will burn gas, white gas, deisel & kerosen, jet fuel . . .

 

I very very rarely have trouble w/ my MSR liquid gas stoves - filter your gas and add a teaspoon of carb cleaner to the gas every once in a while. I know people who use fire paste/alcohol to *reduce* flare-up. If you are realy gunked up - MSR/Cascade Designes does a fine job of cleaning the stove. Ten yrs ago MSR had a strong, fool-proof pump. Now they suck - easily damaged, esp by left handed people.

 

Flare up is not a problem in a Mega-mid - the roof pk is way high. I guess if I was forced to cook in a *tent* I would get a multi-fuel or compressed gas stove.

 

Outward bound used the MSR Dragonfly w/ students for one season - and found that after just a few courses w/ gumby students, the Dragonfly needed serious maintenance.

 

I hate compressed gas canisters. You get only a half galon of melted snow before the suckers start to peter out. You can never tell realy how much gas is in there.

I hate keeping the canisters warm in my jacket. Once I had to dig a slot under the stove and burn a candle to warm the canister.

 

Back in the day, canisters were used because they work so well at high altitude - if it ain't too cold (PV=nRT).

 

I've heard good things about the newer Peak1's from Colman - very efficent

[Terminal_Gravity]

Originally posted by jhamaker:

[QB] An entire winter seasons worth of white gas costs the same as one single outing of compressed gas.

 

...You don't climb enough.

 

and add a teaspoon of carb cleaner to the gas every once in a while. I know people who use fire paste/alcohol to *reduce* flare-up.

 

...clever

[Nelly]

TG - can you elaborate on the design of your gigapower windscreen? I rarely use anything but the gigapower these days but have yet to find/make an effective wind screen.

[thelawgoddess]

Snow Peak makes a GigaPower Windscreen that works ... and almost spectacularly at that.

[allthumbs]

anybody that seriously worries

about the seasonal cost of

liquid stove gas REALLY ought

to consider getting a job

 

give me a fucking break

[Nelly]

Lawgoddess - thanks, do you still need to surround the stove with an MSR type screen, or does the plate provide enough protection?

[Terminal_Gravity]

I took a thin (lightweight) stainless pot that was about 3/8" wider than my primary snow melting pot. I cut 4 radial slots that allow the stove arms to fit through. And then I drilled and ground a hole to fit tightly over the burner screen but not fall past the burner. (There is a little lip on the burner. Make sure the hole is big enough to fit clear to the lip.) This lip supports the wind screen. I then cut the top off of the pot so that it is about an inch up the side wall...I would have had it higher but my melt pot has a handle mounted on the side.

 

This system makes the flame almost completly immune to wind. The air inlet is below the windscreen so it is not starved for combustion gas. I am not sure if this method will work with the auto light.

 

In windy situations I just put my pot on the stove, start the gas flowing and spark a bic next to the pot-screen gap and the flame usually lights. Since the flame and heat is forced along the sidewall of the melt pot it is more effecient even if there is no wind. In my pack the screen nests nicely over the pot,

 

Hope this helps - TG

[Nelly]

TG - Very much so! Thanks for taking the time.

[thelawgoddess]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nelly:

Lawgoddess - thanks, do you still need to surround the stove with an MSR type screen, or does the plate provide enough protection?

---

it seems TG just made his own version of precisely what Snow Peak sells. you could certainly make your own, but they also only cost $8.95 so it's not a huge hurt to the wallet to buy one already made. and you absolutely do NOT need to use the MSR screen with it. it works awesome!

[Terminal_Gravity]

My decission to make my own version was not predicated on saving 9 bucks.

 

Firstly, Japan has very stringent beurocratic rules on designs.

 

Secondly, The giga screen does not go up the side wall of your melt pot. I suspect this is to follow government regulations. It also allows a user to have any size pot, so it is more saleable

 

With the screen going up the side of the pot it nests better, transfers more heat and is even more wind proof.

 

Supply me with an old pot & I'll build you one for $8.94.

[thelawgoddess]

hey tg, i didn't mean to say you're a miserly old fart. i think it's great that you had the impetus to build your own - not to mention the time and the necessary tools. a lot of "problems" can be solved with a little ingenuity and some investment in time and materials; some of us just don't have the time, patience ... or whatever.

[Terminal_Gravity]

quote:

---

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

hey tg, i didn't mean to say you're a miserly old fart.

---

I'm not particularly miserly anyway.

[carolyn]

Ive never been at altitude AND below zero temps with my pocketrocket...seperately, Ive been around 8,000ft with no problem. Ive also fired it up easily in 20 below temps.

 

I like it because its compact, light, simple, and no maintenance...also because Im a lazy cook and pretty much just boil water, melt snow, etc. I can boil a few cups of water in 2 min or less...very important for the morning coffee

 

However, I did have a problem with it a few weeks ago which caught me off guard. I had left the stove open to cool and kind of forgot about it. An hour or so later I went to light it and... BIG FLAMES...EVERYWHERE! I took it off the fuel canister, shook the stove a bit in case of fuel residue, tried starting it again...no go. Read the instructions and it said something about making sure it was well ventilated if you have the legs open for an extended period of time. Well, shit. I was outside!?!?!? Isnt that enough ventilation? I closed the legs for a bit and tried all over again, with no problems.

 

Lesson learned...you know the models that are sitting around in the stores for you to look at? One match to the stove and *POOF*

[allison]

Hey, Carolyn, sounds like you might have left the fuel valve open a teeny bit.

[Lambone]

quote:

---

Originally posted by gapertimmy:

i'm sure i've asked this one before, i'm tired of my whisperlite cloggin up on me, who out there has iso-butane canister stoves, the simple spark it up 'kind, which ones light, lemme here some war stories!

 

maybe i should go with chunks of sterno, or burn my wild turkey

---

Throw the fuckin thing away tim...you'll never go back. I am a happy converter who has seen the light!

[Lambone]

quote:

---

Originally posted by carolyn:

[QB]However, I did have a problem with it a few weeks ago which caught me off guard. I had left the stove open to cool and kind of forgot about it. An hour or so later I went to light it and... BIG FLAMES...EVERYWHERE!

---

I saw a guy blow up his tent that way once, with him and his partner and all their gear in it. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen in the mountains.